VIETNAM: NEW ERA

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received Chan Chun Sing, Assistant Secretary-General of the People’s Action Party of Singapore, Coordinating Minister for Public Services, and Minister for Defence, in Hanoi on July 22.

As one of the world’s most biologically diverse countries, Vietnam understands the critical importance of preserving its rich natural resources.

According to the Ministry of Science and Technology, in the first half of 2025, the four strategic pillars - namely science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation - achieved notable results, contributing to socio-economic development and enhancing the nation’s global standing.

Nearly three weeks into its launch, Vietnam's new two-tier local governance model is enhancing public administration, with Hanoi, for example, seeing streamlined structures, reduced redundancies, and more direct engagement between local authorities and residents.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh presided over the third meeting of the Government’s steering committee for science – technology development, innovation, digital transformation, and a project on developing resident data, e-ID and e-authentication applications (Project 06) in Hanoi on July 20 to review performance in the first half of 2025 and set directions for the rest of the year.

To ensure a green environment for the series of activities commemorating the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19, 1945-2025) and the National Day (September 2, 1945-2025), Hanoi has launched a range of environmental sanitation measures.

With a score of 91.00, Hoi An has been ranked sixth among the world’s best destinations for 2025, as voted by readers of the prestigious Travel + Leisure magazine.

With revolutionary spirit and determination for continued renewal, the Party Central Committee decided to integrate the contents of three documents, including the political report, the socio-economic report, and the report on Party building, into a single consistent, unified, and synchronous political report to submit to the 14th National Party Congress.

In the first half of 2025, Vietnam’s tourism sector recorded impressive growth, welcoming nearly 10.7 million international arrivals, an increase of over 20.7% compared to the same period last year.

The iconic Vietnamese dish bun bo Hue has been officially inscribed on the list of national intangible cultural heritage under the category of folk knowledge. A symbol of Hue’s culinary tradition, the dish embodies centuries of folk wisdom and reflects the soul, lifestyle, and gastronomy of the Hue people. This recognition not only affirms the cultural value of Hue cuisine but also marks an important step towards the city’s ambition of becoming a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.

Vietnam is aiming to export cashews worth 4.5 billion USD in 2025, up 2.7% year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment. To hit this target, the sector must generate around 2.2 billion USD in the second half.

With the newly-adopted decisions at the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee, Vietnam now has a total of nine World Heritage sites. Among them are two inter-provincial World Heritage sites: Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba Archipelago (Quang Ninh province and Hai Phong city) and the Complex of Monuments and Landscapes of Yen Tu – Vinh Nghiem – Con Son, Kiep Bac (Quang Ninh, Bac Ninh provinces and Hai Phong city). Additionally, Vietnam now has its first transboundary World Heritage site: Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park (Quang Tri province) – Hin Nam No National Park (Khammouane province, Laos).

Fifty years after the end of the war and national reunification, Vietnam is embarking on a new great revolution — a sweeping reform involving the merger of provinces and streamlining of the administrative apparatus, aimed at advancing the nation firmly forward.

The World Heritage Committee of UNESCO on July 13, approved the expansion of the world natural heritage site of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park in Vietnam’s Quang Tri province, to include Hin Nam No National Park in Laos' Khammouane province.

Vietnam’s Yen Tu – Vinh Nghiem – Con Son, Kiep Bac Monuments and Scenic Landscape Complex has been officially inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List at the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held recently in France. This marks Vietnam’s 9th World Heritage site recognised by UNESCO and the second trans-provincial heritage site, following Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba Archipelago (which spans Quang Ninh Province and Hai Phong City).

In the afternoon of July 12 (Paris time), at the 47th Session of the World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Professor Nikolay Nenov, Chairman of the Session, officially knocked the hammer to recognise the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son - Kiep Bac Relics and Landscape Complex as a World Cultural Heritage site.

With its cool climate and poetic highland landscapes, Da Lat remains an ideal getaway for travel enthusiasts. The city has recently been ranked among the top five most affordable summer destinations in Asia, highlighting its growing appeal as a budget-friendly yet experience-rich destination.

This is the first time Vietnam’s National Assembly has participated in the event, which brought together over 550 delegates from 59 countries and territories, at vice-presidential level.

The introduction of AI robots marks a key step in Hanoi’s efforts to streamline administrative processes, modernise public services, and build a more citizen-friendly government.

To mark the 30th anniversary of Vietnam–US diplomatic relations, the National Archives Centre III held an exhibition in Hanoi on July 10 titled “30 Years of Vietnam–US Diplomatic Relations.”